Surgical brace



Aug. 2, i949. E. c. FoLLls 2,477,591

SURGICAL BRAcE Filed Dec. 9. 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l num/1ro@ E. C.FOLLIS SURGICAL BRACE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. V91946 Y Patented Aug.2, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE y SURGICAL BRACE.

Evan C. Folls, Lyons, Kans. Application December 9, 1946, Serial No.715,129.

(Cl. 128k-80) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amendedAprilfSO, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) l 6 Claims.

The inventionV described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government for governmental purposes, without payment to me of anyroyalty thereon.

This invention relates to a surgical brace of that class which is usedin supporting the foot, so as to facilitate the walking of personsaliiicted with lame or weak limbs.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a foot support adaptedto take all strain 01T the controlling foot muscles and ligaments ofpersons sulering from foot ailments, whereby they may go about theirnormal activities, at the same time allowing the foot muscles to healcompletely.

Another object of the invention is to provide a foot support which iscomparatively simple in construction, conveniently manipulated, strong,durable, highly eiiicient and reliable in use, compact, light in weightand which may be manufactured at low cost.

When a person is disabled by foot ailments, such as when the foot drops,they lose control of the foot which, in walking, drops down or drags,thus causing the individual to stumble or fall. Rest is the main cure sothe individual must stay oli his or her feet and possibly be confined tobed.

It is therefore another object of the invention to provide a surgicalbrace which will support the foot in a manner such that the foot will beprevented from dropping, thus avoiding the danger of the personstumbling or falling and without the necessity of staying off the feet.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the inventionconsists of certain features of construction and operation of partswhich will hereinafter be described and shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of the improved foot support illustrated asbeing applied to the inside of the left leg for supporting the leftfoot;

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail View, partly in section, ofan intermediate member or ankle-joint with its connected parts brokenaway; Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View taken on line IV-IV ofFigure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a front elevation of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a detail longitudinal sectional view taken on line VI-VI ofFigure'3;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the foot member of the support;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view of the lower end of an upper brace orpivot arm used in carrying out the invention; and

Figure 9 is a perspective detail of the intermediate member orankle-joint of the invention.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, A designates generally theimproved foot support or surgical brace of the class which is applied tothe leg for supporting the foot of persons suffering from foot ailmentsand facilitating the walking of the persons without strain on thecontrolling foot muscles and ligaments.

The foot support A comprises an upper brace member or stay I, a lowerbrace member or stay 2 and an intermediate link member or ankle-joint 3between the upper and lower bracing members I and 2, respectively.` Theupper bracing'v member I has a plunger control pin 4 projectingoutwardly from one side thereof adjacent to its lowered end and isprovided with a stop member 5 extending outwardly from the front edge atthe lower end ofthe upper bracing meinber I for purposes which willhereinafter appear. The upper bracing member I is fastened at its upperend by rivets vI5 or the like to a leg band 1 adapted to be fastenedaround the leg L of the user of the device by adjusting strap 8. Thebrace extends downwardly from the leg band 'I to a point in line withthe ankle-joint 3, where it is pivotally secured adjacent to the upperend of the ankle-joint 3 by the pivot screw 9.

The lower bracing member 2 extends upwardly to a point where it ispivotally secured to the ankle-joint 3 adjacent to the lower end thereofby a pivot screw I0. 'The lower portion Il of the bracing member 2 isbent inwardly at I2 and is widened as it closely approaches the arch ofthe shoe S. The lower end of the lower bracing member 2 is bent inwardlyat substantially right angles to the lower portion II to provide asecuring element I3 adapted-to engage the bottom tically upwardly fromthe lower end of the anklejoint through the upper end thereof, wherebyside walls I'I and I1' and a rear wall I8 are formed on the ankle-joint,with Vthe slot I6 therebetween. The upper end cf the ankle-joint 3 isvprovided with a horizontally extending portion I9 which projectsrearwardly from the rear wall I8. A `horizontally extending cylindricalbore or spring housing -20 is formed in the upper end and at the outsideof the wall Il of the anklejoint 3, with 'the cylindrical lbore V2liextending from the front edge of the side wall II toward the rear wallI8 and into the projecting portion I 9 on the upper end of theankle-joint. The cylindrical bore 20 provides a housing for acompression spring 2I, the rear end of which abuts against the rear wall22 of the projecting portion I9, with the front end of the compressionspring 2l being engaged by a plunger 23 extending into the cylindricalbore or spring housing 2li. The plunger 23 is actuated by the plungercontrol pin 4 on the bracing member I adjacent to the lower end thereof,with the pin 4 adapted to work in a curved slot 24 formed in the innerside and at the outer end ofthe spring housing 20 and with the lower endof the upper bracing member I engaging in the opper end of the verticalslot I6. The inner edge of the rear wall 22 of the projecting portion I9on the upper end of the ankle-joint 3 is beveled upwardly and outwardlyat 25 from the upper end of the rear wall I8 of the vertically extendingportion I5 for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. A horizontallyextending spring tension adjusting screw 26 vis mounted on the rear wallI8 of the anklejoint 3 with the inner end thereof contacting with thelower bracing member 2 adjacent to its upper end, which bracing member 2engages at its upper end in the lower end of the vertical slot I6 in theankle-joint. A nut 21 is provided on the screw 26 for locking it inadjusted position.

In Figures 1 and 3, the compression spring 2I in the cylindrical bore orspring housing 20 is illustrated as being partially pressed inwardlytherein by the plunger 23, which, in turn, is engaged by the plungercontrol pin 4 on the side and adjacent to the lower end of the upperbracing member I. By retracting the adjusting screw 26, the compressionspring 2| forces the plunger 23 against the pn- 4, causing the upperbrace member I to be actuated forwardly on its pivot screw 9 until thestop member 5 nearly contacts with the front edge of the side wall I'Iof the ankle-joint 3, when the individual user of the foot support isstanding erect.

In operation, when walking with the foot support applied to a leg forsupporting an injured foot the heel 29 of the shoe S hits the surface onwhich the individual is walking first and then on the ball of the foot.This causes the pin 4 on the upper bracing member to move inwardly inthe curved slot 24 and to press in on the plunger 23, which in turncompresses the spring 2I in the housing 20, until the individuals bodymoves forward on the next step, allowing the upper bracing member I tomove forward and causing the pin 4 to move out-- wardly in the slot 24for allowing the plunger 23 to be actuated outwardly by the spring 2l,thus decompressing the spring. The upper bracing member I is beveled at28 on the rear edge thereof closely adjacent to its lower end to permitmovement of the upper brace member rearwardly into contact with thebeveled inner edge 25 of the projection portion I9 of the anklejoint.

It will thus be seen that there is herein provided a novel and e'icientform of foot support which is well adapted for the purpose intended.Even though the foot support has herein been disclosed as comprisingcertain features of construction and operation of parts, it isnevertheless to be understood that various changes maybe made therein,if the changes do not depart from the spirit or scope of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and wish toobtain by Letters Patent is:

1. A foot support, comprising an upper brace member adapted to beattached at its upper end to the leg, a lower brace member having itslower end engaging a shoe, an intermediate anklejoint member providedwith an upper and a lower pivot means by which it is pivotally connectedrespectively to the lower end of said upper brace member and pivotallyconnected to the upper end of said lower brace member, and coactingmeans on said intermediate member and upper brace member for yieldablyengaging said intermediate member with said upper brace.

2. A foot support, comprising an upper brace member adapted to beattached at its upper end to the leg, a lower brace member having itslower end engaging a shoe, an intermediate anklejoint link memberprovided with an upper and a lower pivot means by which it is connectedrespectively to the lower end of said upper brace member and pivotallyconnected to the upper end of said lower brace member, coacting means onsaid link member and upper brace member for yieldably engaging saidupper brace member with said link member, and means mounted on said linkmember and contacting said lower brace member for locking said linkmember in yielding relation with said upper brace member, and limitingthe pivotal movement of said lower brace member on said link member.

3. A foot support, comprising an upwardly extending upper brace memberadapted to be atvtached at its upper end to the leg, a lower bracemember having its lower end secured to a shoe, an intermediateankle-joint provided with two separated pivot means by which it ispivotally connected to the lower end of said upper brace member andpivotally connected to the upper end of said lower brace member, meansincluding a compression spring mounted on said anklejoint, and coactingmeans on said upper brace member for yieldably engaging said upper bracemember with said ankle-joint.

4. A foot support, comprising an upper brace member adapted to beattached at its upper end to the leg, a lower brace member having itslower end secured to a shoe, an intermediate ankle- `joint pivotallyconnected to the lower end of with said upper brace member, saidcoacting means including a compression spring and a plunger foractuating said spring mounted on said ankle-joint, and a pin mounted onsaid upper brace member contacting with and adapted to actuate saidplunger against the action of said spring.

5. A foot support, comprising an upper brace member adapted to beattached at its upper end to the leg, a lower brace member having itslower end secured to a shoe, an intermediate anklejoint having upper andlower pivot means and pivotally connected respectively to the lower endof said upper brace member and pivotally connected to the upper end ofsaid lower brace member, coacting means for yieldably engaging saidankle-joint with said upper brace member, said coacting means includinga compression spring and a plunger for actuating said spring mounted onsaid ankle-joint and a pin mounted on said upper brace member contactingwith and adapted to actuate said plunger against the action of saidspring, and an adjusting screw and lock nut mounted on said ankle-joint,said adjusting screw contacting with said lower brace member for lockingsaid ankle-joint in yielding relation with said upper brace member andlimiting rearwardly the pivotal movement of said lower brace member onsaid ankle-joint.

6. A foot support, comprising an upper brace member adapted to besecured at its upper end to the leg, a lower brace member having aninwardly bent lower end adapted to extend underneath and secured to thearch of a shoe, an anklejoint having a vertically extending slottherein, and a cylindrical bore on its upper end, the lower end of saidupper brace member extending into the upper end of said vertical slotand pivotally -connected to the upper end of said ankle-joint with theupper end of said lower brace member extending into the lower end of thevertical slot and pivotally connected to the lower end of saidankle-joint, a slot formed in said ankle-joint adjacent to one side ofsaid cylindrical bore, coacting means for yieldably engaging the upperend of said ankle-joint with the upper brace member adjacent to thelower end thereof, said coacting means including a compression springmounted EVAN C. FOLLIS.

REFERENCES CITED The follofwing referenlces are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,585,328 Bierig May 25J 19261,939,097 Bauman Dec. l2, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date119,343 Great Britain Oct. 3, 1918 515,865 France Nov. 29, 1920

